Seahawks NFL Trade Deadline Primer: What to Watch

The Seattle Seahawks and the other 31 NFL teams are going into a day like today with an objective.

Some want to make their rosters better for a playoff push. Others want to swap good players that don’t fit into their timeline for draft capital and cap savings. Not every team will be able to achieve their goals today, but the ones that do may determine who wins it all, so let’s run it down.

When is the Deadline?

Officially, the NFL Trade Deadline is today at 1 p.m. PT. Any deals that teams want to make need to be completed by then. That being said, remember that it takes time for a trade to go from the NFL office to beat reporters, so a trade could still be revealed some time in the following hour or so. Often, trades are leaked before they’re finalized, so even this is unlikely.

The Seahawks already fired one bullet, but do they have another? — Seattle Seahawks guard Quenton Nelson (53) and Chicago Bears defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (99) meet after the game. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Once the deadline passes, the only way for NFL teams to improve themselves is to sign players out of free agency, and even that has some restrictions. Today serves as a last call for any team that believes themselves to be ready for a title run but needs one last piece. The Seahawks have been very involved in the deadline each of the last three years.

Where to Watch?

Typically, trade deals are initially broken on X by the Adam Schefter’s, Ian Rapoport’s, and Tom Pelissero’s of the world. They put it out there, and it propagates out to ESPN and NFL Network. This page will cover any trades the Seahawks specifically are involved in, of course. One way or another, whatever happens will spread through the general public quickly.

Is John ready to add a big piece at wide receiver? — Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) hauls in a touchdown reception. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Also expect to see plenty of buzz and implication as the minutes tick down towards the deadline, as teams often work towards trade deals that never get completed. Often, deadline day comes with at least a couple of stories about how Team X was very close to acquiring Player Y from Team Z, but just couldn’t quite get the compensation right.

What to Expect?

There were a fair few trades yesterday, including three from the Jacksonville Jaguars, so there’s a chance that some of the fireworks have already launched. But the general sense is that there’s going to be a lot of action today, as there are many teams that need to take that one extra step towards true contention and others that need to strip down a bit more.

Hey, Chargers, you wanna join the party here? — Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) during the second half against the Los Angeles Rams. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Seahawks, specifically, are believed to be on the hunt for a wide receiver, so we’ve got that. There’s no guarantee they find one, of course, but I’d be very surprised if they weren’t also sniffing around for an edge rusher. They have draft picks to give up to be sure, but note they already expended some capital for Quenton Nelson, so the big move has been made.

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